Sunday, February 28, 2010

The two officers who stopped the Fort Hood shooter. She's still on a cane. Pretty interesting to think: "I stopped a mass murderer with my little pistola."

2009 National Championship Service Rifle Team.

Katie and Katie looking over a dangerous black rifle.

Rick Perry and the executives.

In Mesquite for the weekend shooting myself sillier with digital and doing photo-work for the Texas State Rifle Association. Here's the Texas Governor who came by to shake hand, make a nice speech and be around people who love gun rights.

The two officers who stopped the Ft Hood shooter were awarded the TSRA Law Enforcement award. I didn't know they were there. It was a big deal. Very honored to have them in the building.

Snow on the owl, next day. I don't know what they eat during this time of the year. Not much I imagine.

It didn't stick as the temp stubbornly refused to drop below 33 but we were treated to big flakes, quarter-mile visibility and the tantalizing possibility of another snowman fest. Assistant and I were watching flakes come over the bug deflector at 60 mph on the front of the 4-runner as I drove back from Longview photo shoot.

The little buck herd. They were all in this series, just never in front of the camera at the same time.

Left my million year old but still good rubber boots in Box Elder where we were hunting. I wore them when chopping deer. Now I'm stuck. If I buy a new pair, I've got two pairs, only one of which will be worn. Plus I like these old ones. The tread is gone and they don't leave any footprints.

Hardly make it across the creek in regular boots. The creek gods have to be in a good mood.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Sneed was watching the big treeline and I was watching the back when he reached for his rifle. (not just any rifle, a Cooper 270). Five does popped out of his treeline. They looked back constantly. More were coming. We got situated and he shot the biggest and then a moment later the second biggest. Nothing too it but about 40 yards of tracking down a big blood trail into the brush.

We corned up the feeders, swept the house, bagged the garbage, skinned and quartered the deer, locked the gates and headed to Tyler. That's it for last muddiest, longest, most heavily hunted frustrating deer season in recent memory.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

There are 221 counties in Texas. Smith County is 16th out of 221 in the number of people we throw in jail.

In Smith County, it works like this:

1. Get arrested.

2. Go before a judge and get your bail set at the maximum amount allowed by law.

3. Stay in jail until you plead guilty.

4. Live the rest of your life as a felon.

The judges hear very few cases but process guilty pleas by the hundreds after locked-up folks lose their jobs, their cars, houses and their family life due to being locked up in a crowded jail.

When folks DO agree to plead guilty, they also have to agree to waive appeals and CONFESS to the charges. The judge even makes sure to have them swear they are not being coerced.

Our jails are packed to capacity. Most of the folks in jail are poor. If your family does hock your possessions to get you out of jail the judge will refuse to appoint a lawyer...because you could afford your bail. Most poor people sit in jail until they decide to plead.

The voters have wisely refused to finance a jail expansion. Three times we have turned it down. Capacity now is about 700. The county wants to be able to jail 1400 people at a time.

The several judges are up for election. Among them is Jack Skeen, a former Smith County District Attorney. I think Skeen would make an excellent plaintiffs lawyer.

I know of a couple of innocent folks incarcerated until they plead guilty to felony charges. Imagine that. Held until you agree to a felony, meaning your life is over as a citizen and American.

Lawyers who make a living out of the courthouse are afraid to speak out except privately about the situation in Smith County.

I hope people will vote judges who pack the jails to coerce guilty pleas out of office.

Update: A video with every human story there is. EBM tries to do business and is very impressive in his refusal to back down in the face of being called names and threatened with violence. He doesn't fight until he is attacked.

I hadn't shot since October. Good to burn a little Varget and see the sights. Larry Schimmerhorn is working on a design for a couple of the upcoming matches and had me take some photos of the guys shooting prone at 600. I got clearance from the line officer and shot Karl Schultz and Josh Schlaudt during the prep period. No ammo in the guns.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The little buck who ran this scrape hasn't been seen in a bit. This is a stranger. 1 1/2 years old.

Nubbin buck marks the branch. He's back with his mom.

Buck herd. Might be a bigger buck behind him but probably the five point with no brow tines from below.

Two deer, probably the nubbin buck and his mom passing in the snow.

Buck pack at the across the creek cam. One laying down. Go figure. The big bucks are either in their own pack or most likely hidden in deep thickets, only moving a little at night.

Four little bucks. Center one doesn't have any brow tines. Not good. They all are pretty ratty except for the little eight in the back. Hard to tell though. Wonder if I could rattle these guys up right now?

The rear end of what is probably Coyote #2. Bigfoot spooked them.

I hadn't been down the creek since before the weekend. Found my battery just under the waterline of the creek crossing. The snow pounded the grass down and broke many branches. Must have been beautiful. No pig sign.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Couple of young, dumb bucks hanging out together and bopping around. They will be bigger next year.

I see this look a lot.

Mighty Mouse.

Doe and nubbin buck fawn from last year.

He's rubbing the licking branch over an old scrape.

She probably ran him off during the rut. Now back together. She probably is carrying twins. I love these kind of moments you get to see on deercam. Every time I start to relocate this cam I get some amazing photo I would have hated to miss.

Creek running a flood. Tough to get across even jumping to the fallen tree in the middle. I threw a rechargeable lantern battery to the far side and had to watch it roll back down the bank and ker-plunk in the water. It was about done anyway.

Basics

Photographer from Tyler Texas. Images in collections and museums in the region. Still using film for exhibitions. Commercial work in digital.
Contact for sales or assignment at Blackfork(six)atAOLdotcom